Here’s what you can’t recycle (including baby wipes and tissues)

Recycling is important, we all know it is – but there’s an awful lot of us who still don’t know how to recycle correctly. There’s soft plastics, there’s hard plastics… then there’s products made from mixed materials. What about orange juice cartons? Pet food packaging? Can we recycle beauty products? It’s an eco-anxiety minefield.

The truth is that while recycling schemes have come a long way, there’s still a lot of confusion regarding household recycling – and what you can and can’t recycle will vary from postcode to postcode.

In fact, a 2022 survey by Robinsons found that 80% of UK households are still not sure how to recycle their waste effectively, with over half “still very unclear” about what can be collected and what can’t.

This has led to recycling contamination – or what’s now become known as ‘wishcycling’ – which is when people throw something in the recycling in the hopes that it can be recycled. When it can’t, it can cause all sorts of problems further down the line, including actively preventing the recycling process itself.

So where to begin? A handy online resource is Recycle Now, which provides plenty of guidance of what to recycle and how – including some of the more unusual items that we’re never sure what to do with.

Generally, most local councils will take recycling of hard plastics (such as bottles and ‘rigid’ food containers), paper and cardboard, glass bottles and jars and metal tins and cans. If you’re not sure, check your council’s website for guidance – a good way of keeping on top of it is to print out your recycling schedule and display it in your kitchen.

As for the more obscure household items, many of those can be recycled, too. Takeback schemes are useful for things like dental products (think toothbrushes, dental sticks, toothpaste tubes), electricals, beauty products and most consumer items – the Recycle Now website has a great tool which allows you to search for providers in your area.

As for soft plastics such as film lids, crisp packets, salad bags, plastic bags and wrappings – including bubble wrap – these can now be recycled in bins at most supermarkets.

But what can’t you recycle? Some things shouldn’t be put in with your recycling, and for good reason. Here’s a guide:

Food waste/residual product

Contrary to some recycling myths, your recycling should be fairly clean when you put it out – you should at least give it a rinse, be it beauty products or food packaging. This is because some of these substances can contaminate the recycling process. Pizza boxes, for example, should be as clean as possible – a few grease stains should be fine.

Disposable nappies

Sadly, there’s no wide recycling scheme in the UK for nappies, at present – though there is a company in Wales, called Nappicycle, which aims to broaden its services to the whole of the UK.

Tampons and sanitary towels

Sadly, the same applies for most single-use period products. Even plastic tampon applicators cannot be recycled due to their contact with human blood, which goes against recycling regulations. If possible, consider using reusable period products to minimise waste.

Sticky tape

Sticky tape is not recyclable, and needs to go in your normal waste bin. Paper tape made with water-based adhesive is recyclable, however.

Tissues

Although they are made of paper, tissues are currently not recyclable due to their short fibres. They should go in your regular waste bin.

Cotton buds/cotton wool

Cotton buds and cotton wool are not recyclable either, even those with paper stems. Always place in the bin and don’t flush cotton wool down the toilet, as it can cause blockages.

Wet wipes

Baby wipes, cosmetic wipes, cleaning wipes and moist toilet tissues are not recyclable and are not flushable either.